Apparatus for guiding a well tool being pumped out of a well into a laterally branching flow line



July 25, 1967 M. R. JONES 3,332,493

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING A WELL TOOL BEING PUMPED OUT OF A WELL INTO A LATERALLY BRANCHING FLOW LINE Filed Oct. 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 IO 4.7 .L H

/5 25a, I70. MARVIN R JONES INVENTOR.

BY M gwjl ATTORNEYS July 25, 1967 M. R. JONES 3,332,493

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING A WELL TOOL BEING PUMPED OUT OF A WELL INTO A LIATERALLIY BRANCHING FLOW LINE Filed Oct. 20, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAW/N R JONES INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS BY g 3/ 5w 3,332,493 gUT cats-Sheet 5 M DING A WELL TOOL BEING PUMPED OF A WELL INTO A LATERALLY BRANCHING FLOW Filed Oct. 20. 1964 5 July 25, 1967 R. JONES APPARATUS FOR GUI INVENTOR. /I7

MAR VIN R JONES ATTORNEYS July 25, 1967 M. R. JONES 3,332,493

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING A WELL TooL BEING PED OUT A WELL INTO A LATERALLY BRANCHING F LINE 5 Sheets-Sheet OF Filed Oct. 20, 1964 MARVIN R JONES a INVENTOR.

F47 5 Alf M ATTORNEYS NES 3,332,493

PUMPED OUT LOW LINE b TOOL BEING HIN July 25, 1967 APPARATUS FOR GUIDING A 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 20,

INVENTOR.

MARVIN R JONES ATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR GUIDING A WELL TOOL BEING PUMPED OUT OF A WELL INTO A LATERALLY BRANCHING FLOW LINE Marvin R. Jones, Houston, Tex, assignor to Cameron Iron Works, Inc., Houston, Tex. Filed Oct. 2t), 1964, Ser. No. 405,078 11 Claims. (Cl. 166-75) This invention relates generally to apparatus for use with wells located at underwater levels, including an underwater wellhead that has a generally vertical production bore which affords vertical access to a well and a laterally branching flow line bore that is connected to and curves upwardly and outwardly from the side of the production bore and well tools which are adapted to be pumped through the flow line bore and the production bore into and out of the well. More particularly it relates to apparatus of this type having improved means for guiding the well tools from the production bore of the wellhead into the laterally branching flow line bore as the well tools travel upwardly through the production bore on their way out of the well.

Preferably, in an underwater well the flow line that is in fluid communication with the producing tubing string in the well is kept free of any sharp turns or bends and curves upwardly and outwardly from vertical alignment with the production bore of the wellhead. This allows well tools to be pumped into and out of the well to perform certain maintenance operations. In this type of wellhead, either the production bore continues vertically past its connection with the late-rally curving flow line bore to aflord vertical access to the well therethrough, or the flow line is connected to the upper end of the production bore and is removed when vertical access to the well through the production bore is desired. In the former type of wellhead, when well tools have been pumped into the well through the flow line are being pumped out, they will tend to continue traveling vertically upward through the vertical production bore, by-pass the entrance to the laterally branching flow line bore, and enter the vertical access portion of the production bore.

To prevent this, it has been proposed to position a deflector device in the production bore to deflect tools traveling vertically upwardly from the well into the laterally branching flow line bore. Such a deflector device will require apparatus for orienting it and for releasably locking it in place. In addition, the deflector will require special equipment to remove it, when, for example, it is desired to have vertical access to the well through the production bore in the wellhead. Further, the apparatus will be subject to mechanical failure, particularly after it has been in the well for a long period of time.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for guiding a well tool from the production bore of a wellhead into a laterally branching flow line bore that doesnt employ a deflector in the production bore.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tool guide for a Well tool that is carried into and out of the well by the well tool itself to divert the tool from the genera-11y vertical production bore of a wellhead into an upwardly and outwardly curving, laterally branching flow line bore as the tool travels upwardly out of the well through the production bore.

Other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a considerat-ion of this specification and attached drawings.

These objectives are obtained in accordance with this invention by means of a guide that is carried by a Well tool as it is pumped into and out of a well, which will 3,332,493 Patented July 25, 1967 automatically lead the well tool from a production bore in a well head into a later-ally branching flow line bore connected thereto, as the well tool travels vertically upward through the production bore when being pumped out of the well. The guide includes a guide body that precedes the well tool as it travels upwardly through the production bore on its way out of a well. The body is pivotally connected to the well tool and means are attached to the body to urge the body to pivot toward the flow line bore when the body enters the common bore formed by the two bores at their connection.

In one illustrated and preferred embodiment, the guide body is connected to the well tool to pivot universally relative thereto and is initially caused to pivot laterally out of alignment with the direction of travel of the well tool toward the flow line bore by means that urge the body toward the center of the bore in which it is located. Thus when the body enters the enlarged common bore formed at the connection of the production bore with the flow line bore, it will be moved laterally toward the central axis of the common bore, which is in the direction of the fiow line bore. This embodiment is further provided with additional or auxiliary resilient means for exerting a continuous force on the body urging it to pivot relative to the well tool to the extent allowed either by the walls of the bore in which it is located or the characteristics of the universal joint, once the body has been moved out of axial alignment with the direction of travel of the well tool. The direction of travel of the well tool normally coincides with its longitudinal axis.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the body of the tool guide is connected to a well tool to pivot relative thereto in only one of the planes common to the longitudinal axis of the tool. To insure that the plane in which the body can pivot is extending in the direction of the flow line bore, when the guide body enters the common bore at the connection of the two bores as it travels upwardly through the production bore, orienting means are located in the production bore immediately below the connection of the bores. In this embodiment of the invention, similarly to the other embodiment shown, centering means are employed to move the guide body out of alignment with the well tool at the connection of the bores and auxiliary resilient means are provided to exert a continuing force on the body to move it out of alignment with the direction of travel of the well tool to the extent allowed by the walls of the bore or the physical characteristics of the pivotal connect-ion.

The invention will now be described in detail in connection with the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of an underwater Wellhead assembly with a portion of a Christmas tree shown in section to illustrate the generally vertical production bore extending therethrough, the upwardly and outwardly curving, laterally branching flow line bore to which is attached the flow line that connects the well to a remote production facility, and the service bore and service line that are connected to the production tubing string at a point below the depth to which well tools are to be pumped to allow fluid to be circulated between the service and production bores through the production tubing to pump well tools into and out of the well;

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of a typical well tool assembly of the type to be pumped into and out of a well through the flow line and equipped with a tool guide constructed in accordance with the first described embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view, partly in vertical section, of the tool guide shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are views of the tool guide similar to FIGURE 3 and illustrating three positions the tool guide Will assume as it passes upwardly through the common bore at the connection between the production bore and flow line bore of the tree to guide the well tool into the laterally branching flow line bore, with FIGURE 4 showing the tool guide just as it enters the common bore, FIGURE 5 showing the tool guide as it reaches the point in the common bore where the centering means carried by the tool guide body have moved the body laterally in the direction of the flow line bore, and FIGURE 6 showing the tool guide just before it enters the laterally branching flow line bore and illustrating how the auxiliary resilient means provided in this embodiment holds the body pivoted laterally out of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the well tool to the extent allowed by the walls of the bore through which the tool is traveling;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIGURE 4 illustrating how the bore that is common to both the production bore and the flow line bore at their connection increases in width along one axis from a Width equal to that of the production bore to a width approximately equal to the diameter of both bores, thus providing a common bore whose central axis curves upwardly toward the flow line bore;

FIGURE 8 illustrates the other embodiment of this invention wherein the tool guide is pivotally connected to the well tool to pivot in only one plane which is common to the longitudinal axis of the well tool and in which a portion of the orienting means carried by the well tool cooperates with orienting means located in the production bore to align the well tool so that the one plane in which it can pivot is in the direction of the laterally branching flow line when the guide moves upwardly into the connection of the two bores; and

FIGURE 9 illustrates the aforesaid orienting means located in the production bore.

The underwater wellhead assembly shown in FIGURE 1 consists of a conductor or surface casing 11 which is usually jetted into the ground below earths surface below the water until base plate assembly 12 attached thereto is in position adjacent to the earths surface. The conductor or surface casing is then anchored in position by cement layer 13 located between the conductor pipe and the walls of the hole formed when the conductor is jetted into place. Casing head assembly 14 is mounted on the top of conductor pipe 11 to support one or more additional strings of casing in the conventional manner. One additional casing string 15 is shown in the drawings. Christmas tree 16 is releasably connected to casing head 14 by releasable coupling 19 which preferably is of the type that allows the tree to be remotely attached and detached from the casing head. One connection of this type is shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 3,137,348.

Christmas tree 16 is provided with a vertically extending production bore 17 that isconnected to tubing string 17a. Communication between the two is controlled by master valve 18. Swabbing valve 20 closes off the upper end of the production bore. Connected to the production bore intermediate its ends and curving upwardly and outwardly therefrom with its central axis tangent to the longitudinal axis of the production bore is flow line bore 21. Flow line bore 21 extends through flow wing 22 of the tree and is connected to flow line 23 by flow wing valve 24. Flow line 23 continues to curve until it is adjacent the earth surface under the water where it reverses its direction of curvature until it is extending generally horizontally along the earth surface. The flow line then extends horizontally along the earths surface below the water until it reaches a remote production facility which may be on a platform above the water or located on an adjacent shore. Whenever the flow line changes direction, it should do so with a radius of curvature such that pump-in well tools of the type 4 available today which are expected to be used, can pass therethrough.

Well tools that are run from the surface of the water into the well can be lowered vertically and pass through the production bore of the tree directly into well tubing string 17a. Well tools lowered vertically from the surface of the water are run on wire lines and present no problem as to their recovery.

When well tools are pumped into and out of the well through the flow line, the fluid used to pump the tool in will either displace an equal volume of fluid into the formation of the well or an equal volume of fluid will need to be allowed to flow out of the well. For this purpose, and to also provide a connection to the well through which fluid can be pumped to pump the tool back out of the well, service bore 25 is provided in tree 16. The service bore is connected to service tubing string 25a through master valve 26. Valve 25b is located in the upper end of bore 25 to control the passage of fluid and well tools into and out of its upper end. Connected to the service bore intermediate its ends is service flow Wing bore 28a which curves upwardly and outwardly through service flow wing 28 with its central axis tangent to the longitudinal axis of the service bore and is connected to service line 29 through flow wing valve 27. The service line continues curving in the same direction until it loops around and is extending horizontally in the same direction as is flow line 23. The curving of the service flow wing bore and service line may or may not be necessary depending upon whether or not well tools need to be pumped into and out of the service tubing string. When well tools are being pumped into and out of the service bore, the fluid used to do so can circulate into and out of the well through flow line 23. To allow this communication between the service bore and the production and flow line bores of the tree, the service tubing string is connected to the production tubing string at a point in the well below the depth to which the well tools are pumped.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, tool guide 30, which is constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, is shown attached to a typical well tool 31 designed to be pumped into and out of the well through a flow line by fluid pressure. Well tool 31 is provided with a pair of pressure cups 32 and 33 facing in one direction and another pair 34 and 35 facing in the opposite direction. The cups of each pair are spaced apart sutficiently to bridge any enlargements in the diameter of the passageway through which the tool will pass as it travels into and out of the well. For example, the cups of each pair should be spaced apart sufficiently to allow one to be in sealing engagement with either the production bore of the tree or the laterally branching flow line bore, while the other cup is passing through the common bore at the connection of the bores.

FIGURES 3 through 7 illustrate the construction of the preferred embodiment of the tool guide 30 shown in FIG- URE 2. It comprises an elongated body 36 having a tapered or rounded upper end 36a. Means are provided to urge the body of the guide to move laterally from the direction the well tool is traveling when the body enters the common bore at the connection of the two bores. In this embodiment of the invention, four identical drag pad assemblies 37 are equally spaced circumferentially around the body for this purpose.

Each drag pad assembly includes part 38 which engages the wall of the passageway or bore through which the tool guide is traveling and which is referred to generally as a drag pad. The part is cup-shaped and is provided with two outwardly extending flanges 38a and 38b adjacent the lip of the cup. These flanges can extend all the way around the peripheral edge of part 38 or just extend outwardly from each end in the manner shown in the drawings. A cup-shaped housing 39 is provided with an opening through which part 38 can extend except for flanges 38a and 38b which engage the inner surface of the housing adjacent the opening and limit the outward travel of the part. Back plate 40 having spring guides 41 and 42 is attached to the housing on the opposite side from the opening through which the part or drag pad extends. Spring guides 41 and 42 maintain compressed coil springs 43 and 44 in position between back plate 40 and part 38 to resiliently urge part 38 outwardly through the opening in the housing toward the wall of the bore through which the guide is traveling. The drag pad assembly is attached to the body of the guide by machine screws 53.

With at least three such drag pad assemblies or their equivalent spaced circumferentially thereabout, the body will be resiliently urged toward axial alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the passageway or bore through which it is traveling-in other words, the drag pad assemblies will tend to center the guide body in the bore in which it is located. Obviously the extent of outward travel of part 38 relative to housing 39 is adjusted for the diameter of the bore in which the guide and drag pad assemblies are operated so that the drag pad part 38 of each assembly will compress springs 43 and 44 upon entering the bore through which the tool is to travel. The drag pads then will resiliently urge body 36 toward the central axis of the bore in which it is traveling as long as they are all resiliently held in engagement with the bore. Thus, the drag pad assemblies will move body 36 laterally out of alignment with the direction of travel of the well tool toward the laterally branching flow line bore when the body enters the common bore at the connection between the flow line and production bores.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the body is connected to the well tool through a universal joint which allows the body to pivot laterally in any direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tool. Thus, when the body moves into the enlarged common bore at the connection of the bores, it can be moved toward the flow line bore by the drag pad assemblies regardless of which side of the body is facing in the direction of the flow line bore.

In the embodiment shown, a ball and socket type of universal joint is provided. It comprises a spherically shaped end 361) on body 36 that is positioned in a spherically shaped socket 45a in connector member 45. Means are provided to hold :ball portion 36b of the joint in the socket and also to exert a continuous resilient force on the body urging it to pivot relative to the well tool to the extent allowed by the walls of the bore or the physical characteristics of the pivotal connection. In the embodiment shown, end 36b of the body and end 45a of the connector are provided with cavities 46 and 47. Eyelets 48 and 49 are screwed into tapped holes provided in the bottom of each cavity and coil spring 50 is connected between the eyelets. Preferably, the eyelets are located along the longitudinal axis of the body and connector to allow spring 50 to immediately exert a force urging body 36 out of axial alignment with connector 45 when the body and the connector are moved out of axial alignment in any direction.

End 45b of the connector, opposite the ball and socket joint, is provided with threads 51 for connection to the end of well tool 31 so the guide can follow the well tool into the well and then precede the tool as it travels out of the well upwardly through the production bore of the tree.

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 show this embodiment of the tool guide of this invention as it guides well tool 31 from the production bore 17 of the tree into laterally branching flow line bore 21 as the tool is being pumped out of the well. FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the connection between the production bore and the upwardly curving flow line bore. To allow well tools to travel smoothly from the flow line bore into the production bore and back again, the curved longitudinal axis of the flow line bore preferably is substantially tangent to the generally vertical longitudinal axis of the production bore. This results in the bores having a common bore 52 which increases in width upwardly in the direction of the flow line bore from that of the production bore 17 to approximately that of both bores at its upper end where the two bores come initially together. This is shown in FIGURE 7, where the common bore 52 at its lower end is circular having a diameter equal to the diameter of production bore 17. It then increases in width along the X-axis from its lower end to its upper end. The width of the common bore along its Y-axis is that of the production bore which in this embodiment is the same as the diameter of the flow line bore.

As shown in FIGURE 4, when tool guide 30 is preceding the well tool upwardly through production bore 17, and before it enters common bore 52, drag pad assemblies 37, which for reference purposes, are designated by the letters A, B, C and D, are maintaining the guide body with its longitudinal axis in alignment with the well tool and the direction the well tool is traveling. Then, as shown in FIGURE 5, as the guide enters common bore 52, the wall engaging parts of drag pad assemblies A and C must move outwardly to stay in engagement with the walls of the bore. In doing so, they cause the tool guide body 36 to pivot laterally to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 5, out of axial alignment with the well tool and in the direction of flow line bore 21. With the tool guide body out of axial alignment with connector 45, coil spring 50 exerts a resilient force urging the body further out of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the connector and the well tool to the extent allowed by the Walls of the bore. Spring 50 then holds drag pad assembly C in engagement with the upwardly sloping wall 52a of common bore 52 as the guide moves upwardly causing upper end 36a of body 36 of the tool guide to enter flow line bore 21, as shown in FIGURE 6. Further upward travel of the well tool will move the tool guide completely into flow line bore 21 and well tool 31, attached thereto, will follow.

In the drawings the drag pad assemblies A and C are shown in alignment with the plane common to the central longitudinal axes of both bores. This is not necessary, of course, for the drag pads will move the body toward the flow line bore regardless of their positionrelative to the two bores, as long as they are spaced circumferentially to urge the body toward the central axis of the bore in which it is traveling.

Since each drag pad is resiliently biased laterally toward the wall of the bore, independent of the others, they will also exert a force on the body urging it to continue pivot ing toward wall 52a of the common bore even after the one causing the initial lateral movement, such as drag pad assembly A above, is out of engagement with the bore. For example, if the points on drag pad assemblies B and D through which pass the resultant frictional forces between the common bore and these drag pads, are to the right of the pivotal axis of the universal joint between the body and the connector (as viewed in FIGURE 5 these frictional forces will cause the body to continue pivoting as the body moves upwardly, to the extent allowed by the wall of the bore or the physical characteristics of the joint.

In the alternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, tool guide 60 has a body 61 upon which are mounted four drag pad assemblies 59. These drag pad assemblies are identical to drag pad assemblies 37 described above. The tool guide has a connector 62 for connecting the body to a well tool 31 which may be identical to well tool 31. The body and connector have U-shaped ends 61a and 62a which are pivotally connected together by pivot pins 63a and 63b in the manner shown. Thus, body 61 can pivot relative to connector 62 in only one plane, which preferably is common to the longitudinal axis of the connector. Connected between the body and the connector is coil spring 71 which functions as did spring 50 in the embodiment described above to provide a continuous resilient force urging the body to pivot relative to the connector.

Since the pivotal movement of the tool guide body can occur in only one plane in this embodiment, means are provided to orient the tool guide as it enters the common bore 52' (FIGURE 9) so that the body can pivot in the direction of the flow line bore. In the embodiment shown, orienting plates 64a and 64b are positioned in roduction bore 17 immediately below the entrance to common bore 52'. These plates form oppositely facing guide slots 65a and 65b. Slot 65a is shown in FIGURE 9. It has a straight upper portion and a lower portion of downwardly increasing width so an upwardly traveling member that engages the edges of the slots will be moved laterally until it is traveling upwardly in line with the upper straight wall portion of the slots.

For engaging the slots formed by the orienting plates to properly position the guide body for pivoting toward the How line bore, connector 62 is provided with an opening 66 which extends laterally therethrough. Orienting pins 67a and 67b, which have enlarged heads 68a and 6812, are positioned in the opening for lateral movement therein. Coil spring 69 is compressed between the enlarged heads of the orienting pins to exert a resilient force thereon urging the pins laterally outwardly from the connector 62. Bushings 70a and 701) are threadedly connected in opposite ends of opening 66 to limit the outward travel of the guide pins by engaging enlarged heads 68a and 68b and also to provide bearing services for the pins as they move in and out.

With this arrangement, as the well tool is pumped into the Well, orienting pins 67a and 67b can either travel through slots 65a and 65b, if they should be properly aligned therewith when the well tool reaches this portion of the production bore, or they can be moved inwardly, further compressing coil spring 69, by beveled upward surfaces 70a and 7012 on the orienting plates and thus allow the tool to travel into the well unhampered by the orienting means. As the tool is traveling vertically upwardly through production bore 17 on its way out of the well, however, orienting pins 67a and 67b will enter the open ends of slots 65a and 6511 which will cause the pins to rotate connector 62 and guide body 61 attached thereto, until the body is properly aligned to pivot toward the flow line bore.

Once properly aligned, the tool guide body will be moved laterally toward the flow line bore by the drag pad assemblies and coil spring 71 in the same manner as described above in connection with the other embodiment.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. Apparatus for use with an underwater well located adjacent the bottom of a body of water, comprising a wellhead for installation on such underwater well and having a production bore and a flow line bore connected to the production bore intermediate its ends, said production bore having a generally vertical longitudinal axis to allow well tools lowered from the surface of the water to pass freely therethrough into and out of such well, the axis of said flow line bore being curved upwardly and outwardly from a point of substantial tangency with the longitudinal axis of the production bore at its intersection therewith to allow well tools to travel smoothly through the flow line bore into the production bore and thence into the well, a well tool, means connected to the well tool for causing the tool to move with fluid pumped into and out of such well through the flow line bore to permit the tool to be pumped into and out of such well, and means carried by the well too] including a body pivotally connected to the tool for guiding the tool into the flow line bore as it is being pumped upwardly out of the well through the production bore.

2. Apparatus for use with an underwater well located adjacent the bottom of a body of water, comprising a wellhead for installation on such underwater well and having a production bore and a flow line bore connected to the production bore intermediate its ends, said production bore being smooth-walled with a generally vertical longitudinal axis to allow wetl tools lowered from the surface of the water to pass freely therethrough into and out of such well, said flow line bore being curved upwardly and outwardly from its connection with the production bore with its central axis substantially tangent to the longitudinal axis of the production bore at their point of intersection to allow well tools to travel smoothly through the flow line bore into the production bore and thence into such well, the production bore and the flow line having a common bore where the two bores connect which increases in width upwardly in the direction of the flow line bore from that of the production bore to approximately that of both bores, a well tool, means connected to the well' tool for causing the tool to move with fluid pumped into and out of such well through the flow line bore to permit the tool to be pumped into and out of such well, and a guide for the well tool comprising, a body, means for connecting the body to the well tool for universal pivotal movement relative to the well tool and to precede the tool as it travels upwardly through the production bore when being pumped out of such well, and means carried by the Well tool and attached to the body for urging the body to pivot toward the flow line bore when the body moves into the enlarged bore common to both bores at their connection to guide the well tool into the laterally curving flow line.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the urging means comprises a plurality of laterally movable parts mounted on and circumferentially spaced around the body and resilient means for biasing independently each part radially outward from the body to urge the body toward the central axis of the common bore at the point of connection of the bores to cause the body to pivot laterally relative to the well tool toward the flow line bore.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 further provided with means for exerting a continuous resilient force on the body urging the body to pivot relative to the well tool in the direction the body is moved by the parts.

5. Apparatus for use with an underwater well located adjacent the bottom of a body of Water, comprising a wellhead for installation on such underwater well and having a production bore and a flow line bore connected to the production bore intermediate its ends, said production bore having a generally vertical longitudinal axis to allow well tools lowered from the surface of the water to pass freely therethrough into and out of such well, said flow line bore being curved upwardly and outwardly from its connection with the production bore with its central axis substantially tangent to the longitudinal axis of the production bore at their point of intersection to allow well tools to travel smoothly through the flow line bore into the production bore and thence into such well; the production bore and the flow line bore having a common bore where the two bores connect which increases in width upwardly in the direction of the flow line bore from that of the production bore to approximately that of both bores, a well tool, means connected to the well tool for causing the tool to move with fluid pumped into and out of such well through the flow line bore to permit the tool to be pumped into and out of such well, and a guide for the well tool comprising a body, means for connecting the body to the well tool for pivotal movement relative to the well tool and to precede the tool as it travels upwardly through the production bore when being pumped out of such well, means in the production bore below the connection of the two bores to orient the body and well tool to allow the body to pivot toward the flow line bore, and means attached to the body for urging the body to pivot toward the flow line bore when the body moves into the enlarged bore common to both bores at their connection to guide the well tool into the laterally curving flow line bore.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim in which the urging means comprises a plurality of laterally movable parts mounted on and circumferentially spaced around the body and resilient means for biasing independently each part radially outward from the body to urge the body toward the central axis of the common bore at the point of connection of the bore to cause the body to pivot laterally relative to the well tool toward the flow line bore.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 further provided with means for exerting a continuous resilient force on the body urging the body to pivot relative to the well tool in the direction the body is moved by the part.

8. For use with an underwater Wellhead having a generally vertical production bore and a flow line bore connected thereto intermediate its ends and extending upwardly therefrom, a well tool means connected to the well tool for causing the tool to move with fluid pumped into and out of an underwater well through such flow line bore and production bore to permit the tool to be pumped into and out of such well, and a tool guide for leading the well tool from the production bore into the flow line bore as the tool travels upwardly through the production bore on its way out of the well, said tool guide comprising a body, means for connecting the body to the well tool for pivotal movement and to precede such well tool upwardly through the production bore, and means carried by the body for pivoting the body toward the flow line bore when the body reaches the connection of the two bores.

9. For use with an underwater wellhead having a generally vertical production bore and a flow line bore connected thereto intermediate its ends and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, apparatus for guiding a well tool moving upwardly through the production bore into the flow line bore, comprising an elongated body, means for connecting the body to the end of the well tool for pivotal movement relative to such well tool in a plane common to the longitudinal axis of such tool and to precede the tool as the to-ol travels upwardly through the production bore, means for orienting the body to pivot toward the flow line bore as thebody travels upwardly through the production bore; and means carried by the body for pivoting the body toward the flow line bore when the body reaches the connection of the two bores.

10. A tool guide for guiding an upwardly traveling well tool being moved by fluid pressure upwardly through the generally vertical production bore of a Christmas tree into a flow line bore which is connected to the bore intermediate its ends and gently curves laterally upwardly and outwardly from tangency with the longitudinal axis of the production bore, said tool guide comprising a body, a plurality of parts mounted on the body for lateral movement relative to the body, and resilient means for urging the parts independently laterally outwardly, said parts being spaced circumferentially around the body to resiliently maintain the body centrally positioned in a bore when all of the parts are in engagement therewith, means for limiting the laterally outward movement of the parts relative to the body, means for providing a universal connection between the body and the well tool, and resilient means for urging the body to pivot out of axial alignment with said well tool when one of the parts moves said body out of axial alignment therewith when the body enters the connection between the production bore and the laterally branching flow line bore, thereby causing the body and such well tool to enter such flow line bore.

11. The combination of claim 8 in which the connecting means allows universal pivotal movement of the body relative to the well tool and the pivoting means includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced parts on the body, each independently biased laterally from the body for resiliently urging the body toward the central axis of a bore through which it travels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,087,256 2/1914 Pumphrey 285-262 X 2,959,227 11/1960 Canalizo 166-1175 2,964,110 12/1960 Garwood et al. 166-241 3,003,560 10/1961 Corley et al 166-05 X 3,011,568 12/1961 Grimm -74 3,070,167 12/1962 Loy et a1 166-153 3,094,169 6/1963 Conrad 166-138 X 3,101,118 8/1963 Culver et al 166-05 3,268,006 8/1966 Hayes 166-154 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner.

I. A. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

9. FOR USE WITH AN UNDERWATER WELLHEAD HAVING A GENERALLY VERTICAL PRODUCTION BORE AND A FLOW LINE BORE CONNECTED THERETO INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, APPARATUS FOR GUIDING A WELL TOOL MOVING UPWARDLY THROUGH THE PRODUCTION BORE INTO THE FLOW LINE BORE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY, MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE BODY TO THE END OF THE WELL TOOL FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SUCH WELL TOOL IN A PLANE COMMON TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SUCH TOOL AND TO PRECEDE THE TOOL AS THE TOOL TRAVELS UPWARDLY THROUGH THE PRODUCTION BORE, MEANS FOR ORIENTING THE BODY TO PIVOT TOWARD THE FLOW LINE BORE AS THE BODY TRAVELS UPWARDLY THROUGH THE PRODUCTION BORE; AND MEANS CARRIED BY THE BODY FOR PIVOTING THE BODY TOWARD THE FLOW LINE BORE WHEN THE BODY REACHES THE CONNECTION OF THE TWO BORES. 